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“It has become irrelevant to me. I just don’t feel like that number is representative of my spirit, of my energy or anything…I love to fill my life with adventures.”

There is no denying the radiance that 59 year old Christie Brinkley exudes. This gal just oozes a lust for life. She is no stranger to adventure, and that just may be one of the most important elements in her quest for youth. Folks that maintain that awe and wonder of life create a state of agelessness for themselves. Botox can battle the lines and filler can boost the cheeks, but there is no miracle drug to get that sparkle in the eye. Make a conscious effort everyday to switch up your routine, learn something new, and adjust your perspective. According to Dr. Leon Seltzer there are 12 ways to achieve agelessness :

After a brief scan of my Facebook feed it seems I somehow missed that the end of the world is happening on 12/21/12. China apparently has shown great interest in preparing for the apocalyptic doomsday by stockpiling candles. At least I won’t have to worry about sun exposure since there will be no light. We all know that vanity is my forte, so it should come as no great surprise that my first thought was holy smokes, who is going to do my microdermabrasion? If I survive the apocalypse, how on earth will I combat the steady and dreadful cadence of time as it swallows my face whole leaving sagging jowls and neck wrinkles in its wake? Naturally, I thought about stockpiling facial scrubs and Botox much like the Chinese and their candles. Think of how rich I will be when the House Wives of Atlanta are scrambling to trade me 10 bags of coffee, a goose, and their last bit of vicodan for a bottle of Botox and a clean needle! I think I am on to something. It can’t be that I am the only femme fatale that is lying in the bathtub with a glass of wine thinking about post-apocalyptic skin care and so I carefully constructed a survival list for you:

1. Folks will be trading food and what not instead of currency so stock up on sugar. Sugar makes for a great exfoliator. You can take a little ash from your fire and some fat from the goose you were traded and mix it all up with the sugar to create an exfoliating soap. I swear this is how Cleopatra did it between milk baths. Or if you are very rich and smart, like I will be, you could just mix a little sugar in with a gentle cleanser.

2. In an addition to sugar, be sure to hoard honey. A cleanser, anti-bacterial, and moisturizer all in one, honey will be pure gold. Especially when everyone notices your pretty and plump skin while they are sitting by candle light playing rummy. That’s right no IPhones after the apocalypse.

3. Oils will make for good currency. They will of course be needed for cooking and providing nutrition, but more importantly they will condition your hair and treat acne. Argan oil, coconut oil, and olive oils will be the most prized. I, myself, think I will go on a whim this week and buy up all of the unrefined coconut oil at whole foods to put on the shelf with my Botox and fancy face exfoliants.

I hope this little list jumpstarts your preparations for skin survival after this Fridays “end of the world as we know it party.” What beauty product or procedure will you have a hard time going without after the apocalypse?

Every single human on the planet will need to speed up skin cell turnover with exfoliation after the age of about 28. Done. It is a fact. If you are not exfoliating then you are probably wondering where your luster went, why you are broken out, and why your skin tone is so darn patchy. It’s ok. Never too late to start. There are many many ways to exfoliate and demolish that dead flaky skin that is hindering your god given glow. Let us delve a little deeper into the utterly fascinating world of skin cell turnover:

Skin cell turnover is the sad little march of new skin cells to the top of the epidermis where they ultimately meet their demise and slough off. This march of doom can take anywhere from 14 days (in our infancy) to months and months (in old age). The typical span being about 30-40 days for us 30-50 something’s. The trick to luminous, tight and youthful looking skin is to decrease the time that new skin cells spend marching to their death and hanging out on our faces.

Microdermabrasion is great little way to get the blood flowing to the surface of the skin and get some fairly hard core exfoliation going for you. Ease your feet into the deep pool of anti-aging addictions by trying this little gem of a treatment first. I love microdermabrasion for any one that has healthy but dull skin or very light and superficial acne scarring. If you have redness, irritation, rosacea, broken capillaries, or a great disdain for following a treatment protocol of every 3-4 weeks for at least six treatments, then this is not a good option for you. Retin A users beware, while I don’t recommend microdermabrasion for you (remember that whole lipid barrier discussion on the sonic cleansing post), you must at least go off of your Retin A 3-4 days before a treatment.

Chemical peelsare for folks that want to amp up their beauty routine. Chemical peels, unlike microdermabrasion, can really be customized as far as the depth of the peel and ingredients used to address the concern (wrinkling, irregular color etc.). Superficial, medium depth and deep chemical peels are available with a variety of additives that sucker punch anything from melasma (pregnancy mask) to acne and those, near to the heart, fine lines and wrinkles. Please see this post on glycolic acid peels if you want a little more information on peeling.

When I hit my thirties and my body started changing, my credit card took the heat! I shopped like mad to find pieces that helped me feel like the sauce pot I was. I felt like I was going through another awkward growing phase, never sure if I was dressing too old or too young or if I should stop wearing panty hose. Women I have talked with share the same lament no matter what decade they were entering into. Sometimes a girl just has to get some help to keep it together, and I have learned from a very important contact that it need not cost a fortune to look like a million bucks. Let me introduce you to a chick that has made it into my little black book: Jen Pascual founder of My Fashion Chick, specializing in personal shopping and wardrobe editing. Of course I hounded the Atlantan bombshell for secrets on dressing sexy at any age. I am very excited to be joined by Jen of My Fashion Chick in an exclusive interview for dermaDARLING readers.

Mention dermaDarling to My Fashion Chick and recieve 20% off personal shopping or wardrobe editing. How do you think celebrities look so darn good?

What do you think is the key for turning heads at any age?

The key for turning heads, at any age, is your attitude – the way you “display” yourself. You can be wearing the most fabulous, trendy outfit but if you can’t work the attitude, your style is lost.

What advice do you have for gals that are updating their closets and feel confused because they don’t know how to dress hot for their age?

Fashion is a lifestyle. First, when I do Wardrobe Editing, I glance through quickly and toss out anything that looks outdated. Then I go through for a second time and consider each piece, picture what I could pair the piece with and how I could accessorize to make it look new. Some things never go out of style; they just need to be revamped. For example, if you are in your 40s, toss away any skirt or dress that is too short. Wearing something to make you look younger will actually age you by about 10 years. And we don’t want that.

What are the key pieces any woman needs in her fashion arsenal to help her look and feel saucy?

The misconception is that you have to spend a lot on fashion when in fact you don’t. I think that every woman, at any age, should own a great pair of jeans and a trendy pair of riding boots. You can find great jeans that aren’t too pricy and look spectacular. Women tend to think that the more expensive the item is the better it will look. That’s not always the case. My $15 pair of jeans look so much better than my $80 pair. As for riding boots, it doesn’t matter what color – wear them with a tunic, leggings, the right accessories, and you’re good to go. And don’t forget about finding a hairstyle that suits you. People forget that their hair acts as an accessory. If you have the right cut, and great makeup, your clothing will look better. And make you look younger.

Do you have any insider’s secrets from personal shopping?

I do but shhhhhh…most of the time there are coupons for a store. Also, almost everything goes on sale at some point. If you can wait, it will be worth it. If it’s an item you fell you’ll never see again, grab it and run. You’ll make up for the cost with a less expensive item at another time.

What are your top 10 do’s and don’t s after 40?

I don’t have any. My rule is not to have any rules. If you’re 40, but look 30, dress like you’re 30. You can dress in a modified way where you don’t come off as looking absolutely ridiculous. You wear what you feel comfortable in. If you’re wearing a miniskirt, and you’re not comfortable, people will pick up on that and it will end up making you look ridiculous. If you can still work it, wear it.

How do we find you on the web?

My website is http://www.myfashionchick.com. For fashion tips and tricks, follow my Facebook page My Fashion Chick. I post outfit ideas, hair and makeup. I offer Personal Shopping and Wardrobe Editing in the Atlanta area, Online Styling anywhere in the US, and I teach you how to shop for less on any budget. You don’t have to spend a lot for fashion. Fashion comes down to what you do with clothing after you purchase it.

Oh the wild excitement of popping the cork on a good wine, or mixing up the perfect martini. Warm and fuzzy social lubrication may well be the magic sauce that brings people together despite the typical barriers of language, religion, status, and age, but nothing comes without a price. Just what sort of beauty woes will a night of liquid courage cost you? Alcohol happens to be responsible for some of the most common beauty complaints that I hear on a daily basis. Alcohol dehydrates your skin and deprives your body of nutrients leading to tell-tale signs. Signs of frequent indulgence include:

Tired red eyes

Puffy bloated face and body

Dilated blood vessels and a red face

Dry lusterless skin

So, what is a girl to do? Women are encouraged to drink no more than 1 glass of wine or alcohol a day. Drink 2 glasses of water for every glass of alcohol and slap some chilled cucumbers on those tired eyes first thing in the morning. The dilated vessels may be permanent and need a quick blast with an IPL treatment to tone down the redness. My favorite product combination for clear eyes: drum roll please!….

Like this:

I started the company dermaDARLING and coined the phrase “Age Sexy” because I am obsessed with health and aging, and I believe that aging is to be embraced and enhanced, not something to campaign against. I am tired of media instilling the notion that only youth has sex appeal. Photoshop has it’s place, and I appreciate a high gloss magazine as much as the next girl, but leave me some naso-labial folds and expression lines please. I am all for enhancing beauty at every age while not trying to erase every single sign of experience. Women are beautiful. Aging skin is beautiful, we just have to take care of it. Every gorgeous gal has the ability to Age Sexy when armed with the right tips, tricks, and tools. These lovely women have done it very well:

I was astounded when I found a website that promotes slathering on liquid foundation post laser skin peel (fractional ablative resurfacing). I would never dream of putting makeup on freshly lasered skin, but the concept was very appealing. I imagined the swarms of beautiful girls leaving my treatment room with gorgeous glowing skin instead of flaming red and goopy with Aquaphore. I promptly called the company and began trials with my post peel clients. They were completely astounded by how the foundation cooled their skin down and covered every trace that they had just gone under the laser! The foundation is called Oxygenetix and is an aloe vera based liquid foundation that covers like a breathable second skin. Sensitive skin loves this light weight calming product and it is perfectly safe and even healing after procedures such as resurfacing, microdermabrasion, and FotoFacials. Most of my clients become addicted to this foundation and continue to use it after they have healed from their procedures. It gives the prettiest soft glow you can get from a bottle, and despite being used as a camouflage makeup, is very light weight and virtually flawless.

Immediately post Pixel skin resurfacing.

Don’t let the fear of down time and having to hide after your laser treatment keep you from aging sexy! Get your gorgeous paws on Oxygenetix before going under the beam.

We carry this at Chastain Wellness Studio in Atlanta, Ga. 404-252-6662

I have so many clients in their 50s and 60s that are truly sexy and inspiring. Working with them has taken my fear of aging and shook it out like a dirty rug. I have interviewed many of these little foxes about how they have aged so sexy, and there are common denominators! We must listen to our bodies and learn to play them like the fine instruments they are.

We now know that inflammation wreaks havoc on our poor little bodies. Inflammation is a cellular response caused by the body’s defense mechanism that also speeds up aging! Aging can be a beautiful and sexy maturation if you take control of your habbits and live with awareness.

The Age Sexy Top Ten Commandments:

I. Stop smoking– this includes tobacco and various weed varietals. If you have smoked in your youth, load up on antioxidants to assist your body in it’s recovery. None of my foxy 60 year old clients are smokers.

II. Exercise– The gals that I work on that make me excited to turn 50 are all heavy exercisers. Some are champion ice skaters, alot of pilates junkies, and they sure don’t back down from the 60 minutes a day rule.

III. Take time for yourself– Make time to exercise, eat well, take a bath, travel, get a massage. Know when to call the calendar full.

IV. Maintenance and shameless self preservation– These gorgeous gals are in to see me often for skin resurfacing, cellulite smoothing, photo rejuvenation and medical grade skin care. They don’t think of it as anything more than maintenance. Make a budget and alow yourself a little Botox a few times a year and a resurfacing treatment once or twice a year.

V. Diet– A diet high in fruits and vegetables and low on inflammatory foods such as dairy, meat, and gluten will keep you glowing and your skin smooth well into the golden years. Drink no less than 9 glasses a day of water.

VI. Manage Stress– Take yoga, indulge in a therapist (your hair stylist doesn’t count), take lots of time to be with your friends and family, leave work at work, and cut out caffeine.

VII. Give Freely & share your blessings– Don’t just count your blessings but share them. The women I interviewed were all altruistic in one form or another. Some run charity organizations, while others leave amazing tips to their service providers (thank you very much!)

IX. Sun Protection– If there was one piece of advice my sassy age-less clients would give you it is to stay out of the sun so that you don’t have to spend all the money they have had to spend to clean up the resulting mess! Sunspots age you quicker than any thing.

X. Alcohol– Practice moderation. My gals aren’t afraid to knock back a glass of bubbly every now and then, but you won’t find them nursing a hang-over.

Skin care. Sounds easy enough. Slather on lotions, creams, serums and sunscreens in hopes of slowing down the heavy hand of age, and hope for the best. Hope for the best? Hope is not exactly who I want in the ring as I fight off father time. I want heavy hitters and appropriate ingredients that will help me maintain my dewy fresh skin and make my foes a little jealous! Enter the routine:

Cleanse- Your cleanser needs to be chosen based on your skin quality: Are you Oily, Dry, Sensitive, or combination. Dry skin tends to do well with creamy cleansers. Oily and problem skin does well with low PH washes and lactic acid. Sensitive skin does best with very mild cleansers with calming ingredients.

Exfoliate- Only the finest of exfoliants should come in contact with your precious face. Steer clear of coarse grainy exfoliators such as St. Ives. These particles nick the skin and cause irritation and redness. Choose exfoliants that are gentle and only use them up to 3 times weekly. Also build in retinoids at night and/ or glycolic acid as daily chemical exfoliators (to be used after toning). The best approach is to allow your dermatologist, nurse, or esthetician assist you in choosing exfoliation appropriate to your skin type and quality.

Tone- this step restores the PH balance of the skin and prepares your skin for the absorption of other ingredients.

Treat- Remember “clear before creamy!” The order of application is very important! Serums, gels, creamy serums, lotions, then creams for best penetration!

Moisturize- acts as a barrier. petroleum is not the most popular kid in class, but this heavy-duty moisturizer is a must for dry skin. Water based formulas that are non-comedegenic are best for oily skin. Sensitive skin formulas should contain chamomile, bisabolol, or green tea and clay.

Protect- look for a sunscreen that is at least SPF 30 and Zinc or Titanium based, and don’t skimp! Sunscreen is the single most important product in your arsenal. Every single day, you must put on sunscreen no matter if you plan to be outside or not. My clients hide from me if they have a tan or sun burn because I threaten bodily harm:)

Glycolic acid has the very desirable talent of “softening” fine lines (that is esthetician and nurse speak for: Don’t even think it’s going to eradicate ALL of those wrinkles). Sun damage and the faux mustache known as “melasma” is also nipped in the bud. This is done over a series of treatments, and I typically will recommend anywhere from 6-8 peels, spaced around 3-4 weeks apart with 40-60% glycolic acid. Chemical peeling of any type dissolves the desmosomes (sticky glue) that hold the skin cells together. These peels also strip lipids that make up the acid mantel that protects us from bacterial invasions and dry skin, so you must replace what you take away. Following a peel, a rich anti-inflammatory moisturizer should be part of your recovery with a healthy fat dollop of sunscreen. Stay off the actives that you have bought and use religiously because you are a very well-educated DermaDarling follower for 7-10 days (vitamin c, AHAs, retinol, and hydroquinone) . The peels range in price from $120- 250 each depending on your city. I would highly recommend getting a package of 6 to save some cash, since you know you are going to have to have more than one. Glycolic acid should be a considered addition to your bag of tricks for smooth gorgeous skin. Celebrities rumored to be fans of Glycolic acid: Cher, Janice Dickenson, Naomi Campbell.

You are not a candidate for a glycolic peel if:

You have sensitive skin

You want instant results

You want no social “downtime”

You want nothing less than a blooming miracle

You are standing in front of the counter at the nail salon asking about their LivingSocial glycolic acid discount

I will be teaching an advanced chemical peel course at the Elaine Sterling Institute the first week in November. For more information on how you can advance your esthetic career please call ESI at 1-877-233-5246